Monthly Book Review: December 2019 + Year in Review

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid - Monique is plucked from journalistic obscurity by iconic actress Evelyn Hugo to write her biography. Why? What events transpire to warrant seven marriages? Who was the love of Evelyn's life? Evelyn is obviously heavily inspired by Elizabeth Taylor. The "behind the scenes" look into rivalries, friendships and beards (gay people marrying to appear straight) was interesting. Two twists I never saw coming made this an excellent vacation read. A-

The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams - Like Kate Morton, Williams is all about rich character development and details so her books are long, very long. This tells the stories of German Elfreide and English Wilfred at the beginning of the 20th century alternating with American Lulu in 1944 Bahamas. The intersection is punctuated by an "interesting" storyline about the Windsor's. B-

Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham - It's hard to imagine Lorelai Gilmore being played by anyone other than Graham - like her Gilmore Girls character she is fast talking, witty and quirky. I loved Graham in GG and Parenthood and she describes her experiences on both. No spoilers.

I read 24 books this year - I slid in that last one at only 4.5 hours - plus three in which I made a significant investment (looking at you with major side-eye Circe). I moved and got married this year so priorities, but definitely want to up my game for 2020.

My top 5 favorite books of 2019 in order:

1. The Night Circus
2. The Graveyard Book
3. Little Fires Everywhere
4. Delicious
5. The Dutch House

I liked The Graveyard Book so much that I'm going to go re-read The Ocean at the End of the Lane by the same author. I gave it two thumbs down in September 2016, but admitted then it may have been over my head.

Queue (there was a sale on Audible, hence I loaded up):

• American Royals by Katherine McGee
• The Year of Living Danishly by Hellen Russell
• The Gown by Jennifer Robson
• The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
• The Kept Woman by Karin Slaughter
• The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
• Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

Monthly Book Review: November 2019

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett - One reviewer hit the nail on the head when calling this "obsessive nostalgia". Maeve and Danny grew up in The Dutch House and the story chronicles their decisions and relationships through the years. I found this to be a love story between siblings. Because who else knows your history, warts and all, better than they? The audio version is read by Tom Hanks which I was excited about but neither loved nor hated. B+

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center is a bit predictable but I found it to be an honest portrayal of the aftermath following a traumatic injury - something I know a bit about being the former wife of a quadriplegic. The characters are extremely likable and the bonus short story gives another perspective. B-

I just could not get into Circe by Madeline Miller, the fabled story of a daughter of the Greek god Helios. I gave up three hours in, lasting only that long due to the melodic voice of the narrator, Perdita Weeks.

Next up:
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

American Royals by Katherine McGee
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Monthly Book Review: October 2019

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton - Kate is an unhurried and detailed writer, I knew that going in, so one book at 22 hours was all I could manage this month. Edith stumbles upon a secret about her mom that takes her to a castle in Kent where even more secrets lie buried for over 50 years. I enjoyed exploring the very different personalities of three single sisters living in the shadow of their famous author father and unrequited love. Percy is stoic, formidable and can harbor a grudge like nobody's business. Saffy is sweet, nurturing and a bit naive. Juniper is lively, self-assured and idealistic. All five leading ladies, including Edith and Meredith (Edith's mother), are bound by duty and their secrets to Milderhurst Castle and each other. And they all have a relatable sense of longing - to be understood, to matter to someone, to feel loved. 

I've already started The Dutch House (4 hrs into 10 hrs total) so feeling very accomplished. Tom Hanks is the narrator and I was really looking forward to hearing him - the jury is still out. Jury still out on the story as well ... not seeing where it's going but enjoying the journey.

Next up:

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Circe by Madeline Miller
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

Monthly Book Review: September 2019

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang - Pretty Woman meets 50 Shades. Autistic successful career woman hires sensitive escort to teach her how to have a relationship. Predictable and graphic but not completely awful. C+

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman - A young boy, Nobody Owens is raised by a makeshift family. The catch? They're all dead (or kind of). A man named Jack will murder Bod if he leaves the protection of the graveyard. A delightful coming of age story. LOVE! A

Delicious! by Ruth Reichl - Billie the baker goes to NYC to escape the pain of a traumatic event only to find a bit of gastronomic mystery (milkweed pods taste like cheese?!). Billie also finds an eclectic family of foodies along the way. This was like four stories in one. B+

Next up:

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Circe by Madeline Miller
How to Walk Away  by Katherine Center

Monthly Book Review: August 2019

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng is superb! Deftly handles race, abortion, adoption, the Richardson's lives are forever changed when transient Mia and her daughter Pearl become their duplex rental tenants. The orderly world of Shaker Heights is rocked on multiple fronts.

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo is raw and brutally honest. A biography of three real women: Maggie in ND who had an affair with her high school teacher and wrestling with the depth of its impact (and the trial that resulted); Lina in Indiana who is in a loveless marriage and having an affair with her high school boyfriend; and Sloane who lives in upper class New England and has sex with other people at the request of her beloved husband. The author also tells a bit of her own story, or actually it’s her mother’s. The author does not analyze the relationships, that is left to the reader. For me, it reinforced the belief that a woman’s sexuality, and very identity, is complex as a culmination of childhood experiences, cultural expectations and basic need to be seen. I most identified with Maggie - or with the author’s portrayal of her. It continues to amaze me how scrupulously women's behavior is judged vs. men’s.

Next up:
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Monthly Book Review: July 2019

I was intrigued about Daisy Jones & The Six as soon as I saw it as a Reese Witherspoon book pick. It was a nice departure after the languid and delicious (yes!) The Night Circus. Daisy chronicles a 1970s soft rock band documentary style, giving each band member’s perspective on the same events 30+ years later as the interviewer chronicles the timeline. I loved how different those perspectives could be. The author has a real gift for giving each character their own voice and emotions - you could swear these people are real. I had to google it to confirm if the band was truly fictional. I’ll be honest, it was a bit hard to get into with a different voice for each band member, but I stuck with it and was thoroughly engrossed by the third chapter. B+

Next up:
Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng 
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Monthly Book Review: June 2019

I just realized that I didn’t post the one book I read in June and since I’ve already finished another, decided to log two for the month. It’s my blog and I’ll cheat if I want to. 

In Pieces by Sally Field - I expected a bit more “dish” than this served up. Sally spends a lot of time on early trauma and never explains how that shaped her as an actor or influenced her adult decisions - the reader is left to play armchair psychologist which is far more work than I was willing to do. The only costar she deemed worthy of spending significant time on is Burt Reynolds. Spoiler - he was not the love of her life. 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern - this was delicious, I didn’t want it to end. The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night. Celia and Marco are “trained” for a competition that takes place in a circus much like Cirque du Soleil - defying feats of gravity and playing on the imagination - only more magical. The descriptive images evoked from Morgenstern’s fantastical writing create a world you want to escape into and never leave. I loved the relationships, the exploration of ‘both and’ vs ‘either or’. The rich layers rival the best buttery croissant. This is for sure at the top of my favorites list for the year thus far. A++

Next up:

The Distant Hours by Kate Morton
Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

Monthly Book Review: May 2019

Only one book read last month but it was worth three. The Huntress by Kate Quinn tells the stories of three disparate characters post WWII on a Nazi hunt. Nina is a Russian pilot with dreams of more than the motherland can provide and a killer survival instinct. Ian is a British veteran hell-bent on vengeance for his younger brother and a deep love for independent women. And Jordan is a young woman with dreams and a keen sixth sense. All three lives have been forever changed by an Austrian woman with many names - Lorelei, Annalise, Anna, the huntress. This was long but necessary for character development - I was deeply invested. Justice is a deep-seated need no matter how much time has past or who gets in the way.

Next up:
In Pieces by Sally Field

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

Summer Reading Guide 2019

https://modernmrsdarcy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Summer-Reading-Guide-2019.pdf

Monthly Book Review: April 2019

I'm moving into a new-to-us house with my fiance in a few weeks so my mind has been preoccupied with lighting fixtures, the virtues of wood plank vs. bamboo flooring, kitchen appliances and cabinet knobs. See how I dropped fiance in there?! Yep, I'm getting remarried. In a little less than five months so there's that to think about too.

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton - this chronicles the inhabitants of Birchwood Manor over 155 years, weaving the stories of 1862 artist muse Lily Millington/Birdie, Ada, Juliet and her children following WWII, and modern day Elodie. The common themes are art, love, loss and secrets. A LOT of secrets ... priest holes, the Radcliffe Blue, murder. The switching back and forth between characters was a bit clunky and I grew annoyed that Lily could never just be called Lily, rather always by her full name (those extra three syllables grated on me). The murder was never solved, but for some reason that didn't bother me as I was keen to find out where the story would go next. I give it a solid B. 

These is My Words by John Driver - this gets great reviews, but the narrator sounded like an auto bot so I returned it and have already started The Huntress.

Next up:

The Huntress by Kate Quinn
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Distant Hours by Kate Morton

Monthly Book Review: March 2019

The Forgotten Room by Beatriz Williams, Karen White, Lauren Willig - LOVED this! Three generations of women living/working in the same historic NYC home from the late 19th century through 1945 deal with ill-fated love. Each of the three authors tell one woman’s story so the characters are distinct, yet common threads weave perfectly together. I may not agree with all of their choices, but I can definitely picture a bit of myself in Olive, Lucy and Kate. 

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens - this book is all the rage and now I know why. My mother said it has “rich prose” and she was right. The story of Kya the marsh girl is beautiful and sad at the same time. Abandoned and ridiculed, Kya creates a full life out of small and simple things in the marsh on the fringe of a small North Carolinian town that most of us would take for granted. When the town’s golden boy is murdered, it seems the whole town is on trial. 

Next up:

These is My Words by John Driver

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton

Monthly Book Review: February 2019

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James - There's nothing romantic about Vermont's school for wayward girls, Idlewild Hall. This story weaves a small town's secrets, two murders and a hint of WWII into a great mystery.

My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan - I loved this chick lit recommended by one of my favorite bloggers as one of her best reads of 2018. Ella from Ohio is at Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship which has been her life's plan for years. Ella seems to have everything together until a chance meeting at a chip shop changes her life. 

Cheerful Weather for the Wedding by Julia Strachey - A novella written in 1932 about Dolly Thatcham's wedding day and the choice of marrying for love vs. security.

Next up:

The Forgotten Room by Beatriz Williams, Karen White, Lauren Willig

These is My Words by John Driver

The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton

Monthly Book Review: January 2019

Sunburn by Laura Lippman - I read this while in Mexico and it was the perfect beach read. The opening lines pulled me in and I was hooked on all the twists and turns. Polly/Pauline is playing a game ... is it a long game or a short one? Is she villain, victim, or both? The best part? It was good all the way to the end!

The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector's Story by Hyeonseo Lee, David Johng - Soooooo good! True story of a young girl’s journey to freedom. I was shocked to learn of the insidious abuse North Korean’s deal with in everyday life (e.g. monthly compulsory criticism sessions at school and work).

Next up:
The Broken Girls by Simone St. James
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan

We’ll be going back to Mexico yet this year so I also added “Learn Spanish” audiobook to my queue. Excited to see how that works. 

Monthly Book Review: December 2018

I absolutely loved Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (who also wrote my favorite book of 2017, A Gentleman in Moscow). The writing is wonderful with rich character development and the audio version is expertly read. Set mostly in 1938, the novel follows Kate (Katey, Katia) Kontent through a year of defining relationships and painful self awareness. Part of growing up is finding out that doing the right thing isn't always easy and it's more difficult for some than others; our expectations and judgments will never be fully met. Another is learning that what we do has far-reaching consequences.

Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty - This felt like a modern grown-up version of The Breakfast Club. Nine strangers arrive at an Australian health resort with a variety of issues they hope to resolve and leave with a lot more than they bargained for.

Last Christmas in Paris by Hazel Gaynor, Heather Webb - similar style to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society in that the story is told through exchanged letters between Evelyn Elliott, her brother Will, her friend Alice and Will's best friend Thomas Harding from 1914 to 1918 (WWI). Beautifully written and satisfying end.

I read 25 books this year. In addition to Rules of Civility, these knocked my socks off in 2018:

• Small Great Things (Feb)
• Broken Angels (Mar)
• City of Thieves (May)
• As Bright As Heaven (Aug)